


The Calm During The Storm

by Ineffable_Idiot



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Building Up Trust, Caring Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley's Name is Crawly | Crawley (Good Omens), Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, He/Him Pronouns For Aziraphale (Good Omens), Huddling For Warmth, Literal Sleeping Together, Mentioned Adam & Eve, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Other, Post-Scene: The Garden of Eden (Good Omens), Rain, They/Them Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), Thunderstorms, Typical Crowley Noises, Wings, it's Soft Boi time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25870342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ineffable_Idiot/pseuds/Ineffable_Idiot
Summary: "Here, come stand next to me."The demon paused, their gaze shifting warily from the angel to the rainfall that was almost above them now. Was that it, then? Had he had a change of mind and was now about to finish the job before the storm could?"Okay," they wavered. Hesitantly, they braced for the worst and stepped closer to the angel until their wing brushed against his arm.He didn't seem to mind, and instead lifted his own wing above them as the pouring clouds moved overhead.Oh.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 100





	The Calm During The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thunderstorm just passed over my house, so I decided why not use the atmosphere to my advantage and write a Soft™ post-Eden storm fic?

"No! It wouldn't be funny at all!" 

Crawley simply shrugged in response. It must have been at least a little funny, the angel had just been laughing. 

Even so, better for them the angel was simply denying their joke rather than smiting them down where they stood. Frankly, they were surprised they hadn't already gotten discorporated.

Other angels would've done away with them the moment they'd slithered up the wall. Heaven had no problem betraying Crawley and casting them out when they were one of them, they knew they'd receive no more mercy as a demon. But after the conversation they'd just had, they suspected this angel was different than the rest of Heaven. He'd given the weapon he'd been specifically entrusted with away because he'd cared more about the humans. 

What's more, they were still standing, alive, next to him.

The two looked back out over the horizon just as a low rumbling noise sounded from above. Crawley followed the angel's gaze upward to the clouds that had been steadily growing darker over the past few hours. The sky had been grey and heavily looming above them and the two humans for a while, but now it opened up above Adam and Eve, the first thunderstorm drenching the humans in seconds. 

The angel gazed upon the rainfall with wonder in his eyes. "It's water," he murmured. Until now, he had only ever seen water flowing through the streams in the Garden, and watching it fall from the sky was fascinating. 

Or at least, that's what the angel thought about it. Crawley, on the other hand, tensed in fear as the wind got stronger, and the storm began creeping toward Eden as well. They took a hasty step backwards as the worst-case scenario ran through their head. God sends an barrage of water to fall from the sky right after a demon thwarts Her creation? There could be no way that wasn't intentional, part of Her ineffable plan, as the angel had put it.

Said angel noticed Crawley's sudden shift in demeanor. "Everything alright?" he asked, his brow furrowing. 

"You're sure that's water?" 

"Quite sure." 

"Water like in the Garden, or...?" Crawley trailed off, backing up another step further. 

The angel's eyes widened in understanding. He looked back to the dunes, and the rain persisted to inch closer and closer to the wall. "Holy water?"

They nodded grimly. "Ngk, interesting to meet you, angel, but I ought to make my leave now." The storm was far too close for comfort if they were correct. Maybe if they hurried, they could find some shelter in Eden. Perhaps if they flew, they could outrun - outfly? - the storm... 

"Crawley, wait?" the angel blurted. "Here, come stand next to me."

The demon paused, their gaze shifting warily from him to the rainfall that was almost above them now. Was that it, then? Had he had a change of mind and was now about to finish the job before the storm could? 

"Okay," they wavered. Warily, they braced for the worst and stepped closer to the angel until their wing brushed against his arm.

He didn't seem to mind, and instead lifted his own wing above them as the pouring clouds moved overhead. 

Oh.

"...Y'know, when I said I don't think you can do the wrong thing, 'sheltering the enemy' 's not what I had in mind."

The angel frowned, his gaze darting around as if searching for a legitimate response in the cracks of the stones below them. He must have found one tucked in a jagged edge, because his eyes lit up and he turned back to Crawley triumphantly.

"My head office gave me strict orders to care for and protect everything in the Garden. I'm simply following my instructions."

Crawley gaped at him, a giddy feeling building in their chest. "'m not technically _in_ the Garden."

"Well, you haven't crossed the wall, so you're not technically _out_ of the Garden."

 _Oh._ This angel _was_ different. A smile spread across their face, no longer any doubt in their mind that the angel meant them no harm. 

A bolt of light split the sky in two, and Crawley tucked their wings as close to their body as corporeally possible to prevent them getting wet. They peered over their shoulder at the Garden, watching as thick sheets of rain soaked all the trees, flowers, stones, and created ripples on the surface of the streams. 

Another loud rumble broke the relative calm of the rain, and they startled.

"Don't worry, we're safe." The angels' voice was soothing, though his expression betrayed that he was as nervous as they were. He was looking back to the desert, at Adam and Eve who were huddling by the flame of the sword for warmth. Luckily for them that the sword was imbued with Heavenly magic and hadn't extinguished in the rain. 

Crawley watched them for a moment, and understood. _Was_ the storm supposed to have gotten rid of Crawley, or was this meant to be a punishment for the humans? Was this the consequence for knowing the difference between good and evil? For gaining a little knowledge about the truth of the world?

"I just hope they're alright," the angel fretted. "I do feel sorry for them."

So did Crawley. When you got right down to it, they'd watched the same thing that happened to them happen to Adam and Eve. 

"They have each other, they'll be okay." 

The angel peered at the demon under his wing with uncertainty and something akin to admiration in his expression. Another lightning bolt lit up the sky as he noticed something that made him jolt.

"Crawley, don't move!" 

They turned their attention towards the ground as well to find the rain had been gathering in puddles around them, closing in on their bare feet. They only had time to gasp before the angel pulled his arm downwards with a snap of his fingers, and the ground around them became miraculously dry as if the water had never been there. And it miraculously stayed permanently away from their feet, the water pooling several inches away from then, and trickling a wide berth around them.

"Are you alright? You didn't get wet, did you?" He lifted a hand as if to place on their shoulder while checking on them, but thought against it, seeing he was soaked. That, and he felt something off about the rainfall. He instead held his hand outward.

Crawley shook their head, heaving a sigh of relief. They then noticed what he was doing, and quirked a brow.

"What's wrong?"

"I - I can't be sure, but the water... I don't think it's actually holy water. It doesn't quite feel right." he explained, collecting droplets of rain in his palm and letting it fall between his fingers. His wing shifted above Crawley's head, and the demon's heart leapt. 

"Wait, no, don't!"

The angel froze in alarm, and another loud boom echoed across the desert.

Crawley opened their mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Just in case... jus' don't move your wing," they said softly. "Please, angel?"

"I won't. And... my name is Aziraphale." 

Crawley's eyes widened, surprised. "Aziraphale." they repeated slowly, trying out the sound of the name. It was an interesting name, much like the angel who went by it. "'s a nice name."

The angel - _Aziraphale_ \- allowed the corners of his mouth to turn upwards, feeling flattered. "Oh, that's kind of you to say."

"Don't mention it," they replied, a slight scoff in their voice.

Another flash of light, a rumble quick to follow, and the rain kept falling. Hours later, the downpour slowed to gentle patters on the top of the wall, and eventually came to a stop as the sun began setting over the horizon. Aziraphale stretched his wing out and pulled it back to his side, ensuring no water dripped off his feathers above the demon. 

Though the storm had passed, swift gusts of winds continued to blow across the lands, now bitterly cold without the warmth of the sun to fight it. 

A shudder ran down Crawley's body, and they turned to Aziraphale to make an offhand comment about the temperature never being this low inside Eden, only to find the angel in a much worse state. His robes were soaked and stuck to his skin, making him that much colder. His wings trembled with how much he was shivering, and short clouds of fog appeared with each breath he took.

Grabbing the hem of their robes in their hands, they sank to their knees within the dry spot next to Aziraphale and with a swift snap, a small fire crackled to existence in front of them. They scrunched their brow in confusion when Aziraphale jumped back with a yelp. 

Illuminated by the flames, Crawley could see he seemed as scared as they had felt before he protected them from the rain, and they quickly realized why.

"It's not hellfire."

They didn't expect Aziraphale to believe them with the way he looked at what they'd created. He looked ready to fly into the night any second.

But he didn't. The angel glanced from Crawley to the fire and back again, wringing his hands. "...You're sure it's really safe?" he asked timidly, another shiver racking his body. 

"Course. Consider it an exchange for keeping the water off me. Can't be owing an angel any favors." They showed the barest hint of a smile, and it must have been enough. Aziraphale sank to the ground next to them, carefully leaning toward the flames. He let out a content sigh as the heat washed over him and left him unscathed.

"You know, Crawley," he whispered. "You really are quite a nice demon."

Something in Crawley's gaze shifted, their grin dissipating. "Don't say that. I'm the furthest thing from nice _._ I'm a _demon_ who just doomed humanity. 'M not _nice._ "

"Oh. Right, yes. My apologies." Aziraphale frowned as well, suddenly looking distressed, and Crawley couldn't blame him. Apologizing to a demon was probably Heavens' equivalent to a demon being 'nice'. 

"'S fine," they muttered, not wanting him to feel bad over it. It was intriguing; the sadness on the angel's face twisted something inside them. It made them want to do anything to see it gone, want to never see that sadness on him again. A tense silence fell between the two when Aziraphale didn't respond. He simply looked out to where Adam and Eve were hiking further and further from the Garden, their trek made visible by the light emanating off the sword. 

"Be that as it may," Aziraphale began tentatively, the fire crackling loudly in front of him. "You are rather good company."

"You're not bad yourself. For an angel." Crawley retorted, checking to see the angel was no longer wet before lightly nudging his arm with their own.

Aziraphale smiled a little at them, causing a warm feeling to blossom in their chest that had nothing to do with the heat of the fire. They didn't have time to wonder about it before the wind picked up again, harsh and unforgiving. They curled in on themself, arms wrapping around their legs and trying to stifle a shudder. Their eyelids started to feel heavy, keeping them open became a lot more effort, and they almost didn't register Aziraphale shuffling closer.

As suddenly as it had started, the chill from the wind died away, yet the howling sound that went with it persisted. 

Crawley peered up to see a wall of white feathers stretching around them, shielding them once again and keeping the fire from extinguishing in the process. 

"If you like, that is, if you need to, you can rest. I'd keep you safe, since that's my responsibility and all..." Aziraphale offered, voice soft.

Crawley froze, unsure how to respond. On one hand, trusting Heaven and those affiliated with it was exactly how they'd gotten here. Letting one of Heaven's angels watch over them while they slept felt like tempting fate, the one thing a demon ought not to tempt.

On the other hand, Aziraphale had done nothing but protect them since they'd met, and his demeanor suggested all evidence against any hostile intentions. What's more, even with the distance between them Crawley could feel a welcoming warmth radiating off the angel they couldn't resist even if they wanted to. 

Hesitantly, they sank back into the downy feathers, and Aziraphale curved his wing to accommodate their form. They relaxed and nestled further into the embrace.

"Thanksss for not sssmiting me," they murmured drowsily, a hiss creeping its way into their voice. 

"Oh, of course. I - I'll wake you in the morning. I suspect I'll be getting a new task now that the Garden is vacant." 

"Mmnh." was the last thing they said before their eyes slipped shut and refused to open again. They could feel a gentle hand brush a lock of hair over their shoulder, and hear a whispered 'goodnight' as they drifted off to a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I found out snakes get all drowsy and sluggish when it's cold, so... *finger guns* I just really wanted to write some fluff between these two, there's never enough. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
